In low-profile (or shallow profile) automotive vehicle fuel tanks, such as saddle tanks, conventional fuel delivery modules are too tall to fit inside the tank because the fuel pump is mounted vertically and the height of the conventional fuel delivery module is too large for such applications. Reducing the height of the conventional fuel delivery module, which includes a fuel pump, results in a limitation of the fuel reservoir capacity of the fuel delivery module. Reducing the height of the conventional module further interferes with the function or packaging of the inner components of the fuel delivery module.
Alternatively, it is possible to reduce the height of the fuel delivery module, while retaining fuel reservoir capacity and inner component functionality, by enlarging the cross-section of the fuel delivery module in its horizontal plane; however, enlarging of the cross-section requires a corresponding enlarging of the opening of the fuel tank. This is undesirable because it reduces the strength of the fuel tank and increases the diffusion of fuel vapor from the fuel tank.
Thus, it is known to mount a conventionally-sized fuel delivery module in a substantially horizontal orientation within the low-profile fuel tank. By mounting the fuel delivery module in a substantially horizontal orientation, the fuel reservoir capacity and inner component functionality are unchanged. Furthermore, the horizontally-mounted fuel delivery module may be configured to accommodate a conventionally-sized fuel tank opening.
The fuel reservoir of the fuel delivery module may become unstable due to variations in the height of the fuel tank, a change in vehicle attitude, or even an alteration of the fuel tank shape. Improvements in fuel delivery modules for low-profile fuel tanks are therefore desired.